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Enga Ooru Kavalkaran album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Arumbagi

From Enga Ooru Kavalkaran · 1998

Lyricist
Na. Kamarasan
Singers
Deepan Chakravarthy, P. Susheela
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Enga Ooru Kavalkaran
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
10 Oct 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Thodutha maala yeduthu vaaren
Kazhutha kaattu kairanda serthu
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Jaathagatha paarthathilla
Sadhaganthan velai ellaam
Ver ethaiyum kettathilla
Pottuvidu maalai ellaam
: Manakkum sandhanam
Poosattuma…aa…aaa…
Inikkum sangathi pesattuma
Yedhukkum engappana
Kekkattuma…aa…aa..
Appuram ungitta pesattuma
Pon aavarampoo en kaathorama
Swarampaadum inneram ponneram thaan
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Paaivirichu naan padutha
Paal yeduthu vaadipulla
Palakkadhaiya pesipputta
Pasichirukkum nenjukkulla
Pasikku panthiya
Podattuma…aa…aaa..
Rasichu unkitta koodattuma
Thavichu nithamum
Ketkattuma…aa…aa…
Pudichu kaiyila serkattuma
En machanukku
Ada ennachuthu
Athu poovaayi pinnaalae pithaanathu
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Male :Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Female :Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Male :Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
: Thodutha maala yeduthu vaaren
Male :Kazhutha kaattu kairanda serthu
Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Male :Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
Female :Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi
Male :Poo pola ponnana poovaayi
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
I am bringing the woven garland,
Show me your neck and bring your hands together.
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
I never checked any horoscope,
Everything has worked in our favor!
I haven't asked for anything else,
So go ahead and place the garland on me!
Fragrant sandalwood paste...
Shall I gently rub it on you?
Shall I speak sweet words of love?
Just to be certain, from my father...
Shall I ask his consent?
And only then speak with you?
A golden Avaram flower beside my ear,
Sings a melody—this moment is truly golden!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
When I spread the mat and lie down,
Bring me a cup of milk, my girl.
While we sit and share many stories,
A hunger will awaken deep inside the heart.
For that hunger, a feast...
Shall I serve a feast for you?
Shall I join you and relish every moment?
Longing for you every single day...
Shall I ask for your love?
Shall I take your hand and make you mine?
To my beloved man...
Ah, what has happened to him?
He has gone completely crazy over Poovayi!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
I am bringing the woven garland,
Show me your neck and bring your hands together.
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
From a sprout to a bud, blooming into a flower,
Oh Poovayi, golden and lovely like a flower!
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Female
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Female
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Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil folk duet expresses romantic intimacy, playful courtship, and the joyous progression of love toward marriage. The lyrics chart love's organic growth—metaphorically comparing it to the natural lifecycle of a plant blooming from a small bud ('arumbu') to a tender blossom ('mottu') and finally a full flower ('poo'). The male protagonist expresses his deep affection for his lady 'Poovaayi', disregarding traditional horoscope matchings in favor of genuine heartfelt love, while the female lover responds playfully, teasingly asking whether she should consult her father before yielding to his affections. In the second half, the song moves toward cozy domestic romance, using rustic imagery like serving warm milk on a mat and feeding an eager, longing heart like a lavish feast. The lyricist Na. Kamarasan weaves evocative rural terminology and tender endearments, capturing the sweet back-and-forth chatter between two lovers preparing to spend their lives together.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Poo pola ponnana poovaayi

Compares the beloved Poovaayi's gentleness and preciousness directly to a flower using the comparative particle 'pola'.

Gradation / Climax (Adukku Thodar)

Arumbaagi mottaagi poovaagi

Uses sequential natural stages of flowering ('arumbu' -> 'mottu' -> 'poo') to depict the gradual deepening of love and maturity.

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Pasikku panthiya / Podattuma

Metaphorically compares emotional and physical romantic yearning ('pasichirukkum nenju') to physical hunger needing a feast ('panthi').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Paaivirichu naan padutha / Paal yeduthu vaadipulla

Repetition of the initial 'P' sound ('Paaivirichu', 'Paal', 'Palakkadhaiya', 'Pasichirukkum') creates musical cadence across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the movie 'Enga Ooru Kavalkaran' was released in 1988, its soundtrack composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja remains one of the defining rural folk albums of 1980s Tamil cinema. Sung by Deepan Chakravarthy and P. Susheela, this track showcases lyricist Na. Kamarasan's flair for blending modern poetic sensibility with rich Tamil rural folklore imagery.

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